70 November Writing Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas
November is a month of contrasts. Bonfire Night blazes with sparks against the cold, Thanksgiving gathers people around crowded tables, and Black Friday throws everyone into a frenzy of bargains and chaos. It’s a time of reflection and change — the last breath of autumn before winter takes hold. For teen writers, November offers a rich mix of cozy traditions, eerie nights, and modern madness to explore.
This collection of 70 November writing prompts blends warmth with unease, giving students story starters, titles, characters, settings, and picture prompts inspired by both history and the present day. From gratitude and family ties to fireworks, rebellion, and midnight shopping sprees, there’s inspiration here for every kind of storyteller.
1. Plot Hooks
Plot hooks help young writers dive straight into a story. These November-inspired ideas balance cozy, eerie, and chaotic themes.
Write about a family dinner where one empty chair is always left for a missing guest.
Write about a bonfire where strange shapes appear in the flames.
Write about a student who discovers an old Guy Fawkes mask hidden in the attic.
Write about a town that celebrates Thanksgiving every year, though no one remembers why.
Write about a mysterious stranger who returns every year on November 5th.
Write about a harvest festival that ends in a chilling discovery.
Write about a diary found in November that predicts the winter ahead.
Write about a parade where one float seems to move on its own.
Write about a Black Friday deal that costs far more than money.
Write about fireworks that don’t just light the sky but reveal hidden figures.
2. Title Ideas
Titles make a story feel real before it’s even written. These November titles mix warmth with suspense:
Ashes in the Bonfire
The Last Harvest Feast
Lanterns in the Fog
A Chair at the Table
Whispers in the Smoke
The Forgotten Recipe
The Fifth of November
Through the Falling Leaves
Midnight at the Mall
Embers and Echoes
3. Opening Lines
November stories work best when they capture the season’s atmosphere — flickering firelight, cold mornings, or the noise of crowded shops. These lines set the scene:
“The bonfire cracked and hissed, but I could have sworn it whispered my name.”
“The turkey was carved, but no one touched their plates.”
“Smoke clung to the town like an unspoken secret.”
“November always smelled of damp leaves and gunpowder.”
“The empty chair gleamed as though someone had polished it for hours.”
“The fireworks lit up a shadow that wasn’t supposed to be there.”
“Grandma’s recipe card was stained with something too dark to be wine.”
“By dawn, the shop floor looked like a battlefield.”
“The cold crept in early that year, stealing more than warmth.”
“The letter arrived on the first frost, written in silver ink.”
4. Closing Lines
Good endings linger. These closing lines help students wrap up their November tales with impact:
“The fire went out, but the whispers remained.”
“We finally ate, though none of us could taste a thing.”
“Smoke drifted upward, carrying secrets we’d never share again.”
“The last leaf fell, and with it, the year seemed to end.”
“The chair stayed empty, though I knew someone had been there.”
“The fireworks faded, but the shadow did not.”
“The recipe burned, but its flavor haunted us still.”
“The sales ended, but the bargain kept demanding more.”
“The frost thickened, but so did my resolve.”
“November ended, but the secret didn’t.”
5. Character Ideas
Characters make November stories come alive — from cozy family members to eerie strangers or midnight shoppers.
A weary chef cooking the final Thanksgiving dinner for a fractured family.
A firework-maker who knows more than they should about the town’s history.
A teenager hiding in the library to escape family traditions.
A masked figure who only appears on Bonfire Night.
A grandmother with a recipe passed down for generations — and a curse.
A student historian obsessed with the Gunpowder Plot.
A child who refuses to leave the bonfire long after it burns out.
A bargain-hunter who never leaves the mall after Black Friday.
A traveller who always arrives on the first frost, bringing strange tales.
A shop assistant who knows the sales are cursed but can’t quit their job.
6. Setting Ideas
Settings anchor a story in the sights, sounds, and atmosphere of the season. November settings can feel cozy, eerie, or overwhelming:
A small-town square glowing with lanterns and smoke from a bonfire.
A long wooden table set for Thanksgiving, with one chair left empty.
A frost-covered forest where footsteps vanish too quickly.
A parade route through bare, windswept streets.
A crumbling church where villagers gather on November 5th.
A kitchen filled with cinnamon and something metallic.
A shopping mall at midnight, buzzing with restless energy.
A farmhouse glowing with candles as snow threatens outside.
A frozen pond where lanterns are set afloat.
A library cabinet filled with locked November records.
7. Picture Prompt Ideas
Visual prompts help spark imagination with instant atmosphere. These November images capture warmth, eeriness, and chaos:
Final Thoughts
November is a month of warmth and shadows. These 70 prompts invite teen writers to explore both sides of the season: cozy traditions filled with food and family, eerie stories sparked by Bonfire Night, and chaotic adventures inspired by Black Friday. Whether you use them in the classroom or for independent writing, they’re perfect for sparking creativity before winter begins.
If you’d like daily inspiration beyond November, don’t miss our Daily Writing Prompts — themed collections that deliver fresh story starters, opening and closing lines, and classroom-ready slides every day.
